Slugfest is a roundup of cool announcements about projects coming to a shelf near you. This edition focuses on Marvel’s April 2026 titles. Hit the links for more info.
Disney’s Galaxy’s Edge, or as we call it at my house, “Star Wars Land,” will get an update at Disneyland this spring, as they add Darth Vader, Han Solo and other characters from the original trilogy to the area. Until now, Galaxy’s Edge’s story has revolved around the most recent trilogy, with Kylo Ren, Rey and the First Order making appearances, but that’ll change in April. And the new “story” that connects the first Star Wars films to the area will come in the form of a comic this April.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – Echoes of the Empire #1 kicks off a new five-issue miniseries set on Batuu, expanding the story of the Black Spire Outpost during the era of the original trilogy. Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Chewbacca arrive on the remote world searching for critical intelligence, only to uncover a relic that draws the attention of the Empire. Their mission quickly escalates, placing Batuu at the center of a conflict that has been unfolding just out of sight of the films.
Written by Ethan Sacks, who previously chronicled Galaxy’s Edge when the land first opened in 2019, the series is illustrated by Jethro Morales and Roi Mercado, with a main cover by Phil Noto. There are also variants by EM Gist and Leinil Francis Yu:
Echoes of the Empire functions as an in-universe bridge between the theme park setting and classic Star Wars continuity, revealing the hidden story behind the Empire and Rebel presence on Batuu as the galaxy moves into a new phase of open war. It also means you can get your picture taken with Han Solo in front of the Millennium Falcon, which is the big win here. The first issue drops April 22.
An April Fool’s Day special featuring Deadpool makes a ton of sense, and this year Deadpool: April Pool’s Day will reunite the Merc with a Mouth with writer Gail Simone. Set on April 1 in the Marvel Universe, the issue leans hard into pranks, gags and the kind of chaos that you’d expect Wade Wilson to escalate into a potential reality-ending crisis. When Deadpool realizes the threat is real, no one believes him … because of course they don’t.
Simone, who has a long history with the character dating back to some of Deadpool’s most personality-defining early appearances, brings her comedic chops back to Wade’s world, paired with dynamic interior art by C.F. Villa and a cover by David Baldeón. Todd Nauck and Jim Rugg provide variants, shown above.
Jubilee: Deadly Reunion #1 puts Uncanny X-Men‘s Jubilation Lee front and center as part of Marvel’s Voices celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Written by Eisner winner Gene Luen Yang with art by Michael YG of Iron Fist fame, the one-shot begins when a long-lost cousin suddenly appears at the X-Men’s door, sporting mutant powers of his own and a desperate need for help. What starts as a family rescue mission quickly becomes something more complicated, forcing Jubilee to confront buried family history, cultural identity and the uncomfortable truth that blood ties don’t always guarantee trust.
“I’ve been a big fan of Jubilee since high school, when I was reading the Chris Claremont and Jim Lee X-Men run,” Yang said. “She just felt like someone I would’ve been friends with at school, except she’s an X-Man. She’s also an American Born Chinese like me, so I’ve always wanted to tell a story about her uneasy relationship with her roots. I’m thrilled to finally get the chance.”
Fanyang drew the main cover, while Ivan Tao provides a variant. Look for it in stores April 29.
I guess rumors of the death of the 2099 universe were exaggerated, because April will see the return of another 2099 character — Doom 2099.
Spinning out of last year’s Doomed 2099 one-shot, the story finds Doom returned to his own time after a humbling encounter with his past self, only to discover that his attempt to reshape destiny has left Earth completely lifeless. (Wait, maybe it is dead!) Alone in the wasteland, Doom uncovers Ultron’s buried head and stakes everything on repairing his time machine. But reviving a murderous artificial intelligence comes with consequences, and Doom’s search for redemption may demand a cost even he isn’t prepared to pay.
Doom 2099: Rage of Doom #1 is by writer Frank Tieri and artist Von Randal, with a main cover by Junggeun Yoon and variants by Peach Momoko and Derrick Chew. It arrives April 29.
Spinning out of the mystery introduced in main Uncanny X-Men title, this year’s annual digs deeper into the shadowy history of mutantkind with a story that reaches back to the turn of the 20th century. Written by Gail Simone and Mikki Kendall, with art by Francesco Mortarino, the annual expands on the revelations from “The Dark Artery” and reframes them through a long-buried chapter of X-Men history. It comes out April 1.
Alien : King Killer #1 launches a grim new chapter in the Alien universe from writer Saladin Ahmed and artist Carlos Nieto, set after humanity has already lost the war against the Xenomorphs.
On a planet completely overrun by the creatures, the last remnants of civilization survive under the rule/protection of the enigmatic warlords known as the Three Kings. But the Kings’ fragile order is about to collapse. A long-lost fourth sibling emerges, driven by vengeance, while the truth behind the Kings’ power threatens to be even more dangerous than the monsters outside the walls.
David Yarden provides the cover, and it comes out April 1.